Vinyl Supernova hits Victoria

On Saturday, March 21 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m., the Fernwood Community Centre will host Vinyl Supernova, the biggest record fair on Vancouver Island. Organizer Ryan Wugalter has some tips for what to expect on the day. “It will be the best record store in town for one day,” he said.

Local record stores Gordies, Supreme Echo, The Turntable, and Talk is Cheap will have tables set up as well as individual collectors from all over Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

There will be 50 tables full of records, CDs, and music memorabilia. “It’s going to be every genre, cross-generational. Everything under the sun I think, and even more than that,” said Ryan.

The Deadbeetz food truck will be there as well for hungry vinyl lovers. Of the atmosphere, “It’s totally just abuzz with record chit-chat,” said Ryan, who’s put on three Vinyl Supernova events in the past.

Photo by William Workman (Production Co-ordinator)

“It’s all about conversations, making connections with people,” he said. “If you don’t have a record player but you like music a lot you should come just for the curiosity factor.”

It will be a great place for people who are just starting their collections to stock up on classics and find rarities that they probably wouldn’t get anywhere else. There will be international recordings from parts of the world that you wouldn’t even be able to find unless you travelled to those countries.

Ryan has been posting a series of videos showcasing some of the collectors’ items local record stores will be bringing on the event’s Facebook page. Highlights include an original Parlophone recording of The Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band from The Turntable in Fan Tan Alley.

“If you do have a record player, you should be there, because it’s the place where you’re going to find absolutely everything,” said Ryan. “We have tons of deals, and lots of rare finds and stuff like that.”

People can expect to find records for anywhere from one dollar to collectors’ items for hundreds of dollars. According to Ryan, the most expensive item he’s seen sold at the event was a rare Led Zeppelin bootleg, Pure Blues, which went for around $600.

“People should come to Vinyl Supernova because the Fernwood Community Centre will be transformed into a music lover’s paradise,” said Ryan. “If you’re at all interested in vintage collections of LPs and CDs and music memorabilia from all over Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland it’s the place to be.”

“You’ll be able to find the wonderful, the weird, classics—something for all paces basically. And it’s only $2 to get in, too.”

The Fernwood Community Centre is at 1240 Gladstone Ave. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $2 admission at the door, click here for more details.